Globe Takes Printer to Court

BOSTON—The Boston Globe filed suit against a Wilmington, MA-based printer and six of its employees, seeking sanctions that would prevent them from using proprietary business information and trade secrets allegedly lifted from the paper’s direct marketing subsidiary, Globe Direct.

The suit contends that all six employees recently resigned from Globe Direct and accepted positions with Kirkwood Printing, where they helped start Kirkwood Direct, a new direct marketing business. The Boston Globe is seeking a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction to prevent “irreparable harm” that could result from the use of the information.

The Globe claims that six former employees of Globe Direct conspired for months to steal confidential information and start a new company in direct competition for Globe Direct customers. The suit alleges these employees packed and removed boxes of critical information, including customer advertising files, lists and product samples, among other things.

The suit also charges that these former employees are using the proprietary information to attract customers and sales away from Globe Direct. According to the complaint, the six employees in question tried to woo customers over to Kirkwood Direct while still cashing checks as Globe Direct employees.

Peter Coppinger, with the law firm McCarter and English of Boston, which represents Kirkwood, says the company “vehemently denies any wrongdoing whatsoever. We believe the papers filed by Globe Direct are wholly inaccurate. We have filed vigorous opposition papers in court, where we feel this dispute should properly play out.”